The Key to Drabbles
by Canine Dreamer
Summary: Drabbles of all kinds on Kingdom Hearts. Focousing mostly on the Hallow Bastion and Destiny Island Crews. CloudxAerith SoraxKairi Squiffie RikuOC
1. Chapter 1

Dislciamer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts 1, COM, or KH2.

Title: Explaination  
Words: 861  
Summary: _Grown-ups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them._ -Antoine de Saint-Exupery  
A/N: Oh god. This chapter dedicated to Mrs. Briggs, who taught me quotes could be used for something more than a way to distract yourself from homework, although they will always be useful for that!

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Cloud leaned against the wall of Merlin's library, making sure Marlene and Denzel truthfully completed their schoolwork. Tifa had asked him to, while Aerith had backed her up. Truthfully, it had been Aerith's caring, emerald gaze that convinced him.

As if he had a choice.

The two were quiet for the most part, talking about the difference between a noun and a verb. Denzel was stubbornly arguing that the word 'fart' was both of these. Marlene, however, thought that was just disgusting. Cloud silently agreed.

It was when Marlene stood with several sheets of paper that he became suspicious. He was to make sure it was completed, not answer questions. Schoolwork was never his forte.

"Cloud, my teacher had us draw pictures that tell a story. She told us to show them to someone and see if they understand it. Will you read it? Please?"

"Okay." He took the papers carefully and looked at the first one. The sky was a bright blue with fields of messy lime green. A pink flower was apparently the highlight of the picture. The odd thing was, this flower had a pink ribbon tied around its stem. The center of it, bright yellow, had dark green eyes and a smile.

The next picture was generally the same, but there was a cloud in the sky. She'd actually glued cotton balls to it to make it more life-like. He stroked them with his fingers, wondering if clouds really felt like that. This cloud was unusual too, with small chocobo feathers sticking out of the top of the end facing the flower. A piece of red yarn formed a straight line for a mouth and two blue beads made the eyes.

The next picture focused on a second cloud, this one just drawn on and colored in grey. Paperclips bent until they were straight served as long silver hair. A long sword that looked more like a grey stick stuck out from the storm cloud, pointing to the flower. The Chocobo Feather didn't seem happy about this.

The next showed both clouds with swords crossed. Chocobo Feather seemed to have a Cure spell over him, cast by the Bow Flower, which now had a staff. Paperclip was smiling with a V-shaped smile.

The next picture showed that Chocobo Feather had defeated Paperclip, who was dispersing. Chocobo Feather was now a flower, looking weak but happy. The gaze in its drawn-on eyes seemed fitting for the pink heart above its golden petals. Bow Flower seemed to be feeling similarly, because there was a heart above her too.

The last picture showed the two close together, leaves acting like arms to embrace each other. They were different, and Chocobo Feather didn't seem as magnificent as Bow Flower, but they fit together, especially with the glitter and glue heart around them.

"Very good Marlene." He said, passing it back. She looked at him expectantly, but the man couldn't think of anything to say. "Rest of your homework done?" Marlene was obviously disappointed by this, but went back to finish her work. If only he could have heard her talking to Denzel.

"He understand yet?" Denzel asked expectantly. Marlene shook her head and the blonde sighed. "Is he ever gonna understand that him and Aerith were made for each other?"

The younger girl thought this over, and came to a solid answer. "Probably not." She gave Cloud a look that seemed a mix of pity and frustration. "Why do we have to explain everything to grown-ups?"

"Not a clue, but its getting old."

"You're getting old." Their voices began to raise to such a level the others could hear them.

"MARLENE, TAKE IT BACK!"

"Never in a million years!"

"That's how long it'll take you to grow up!"

"I don't wanna' grow up! Adults are stupid!"

"**MARLENE! DENZEL!"**

They looked at Cloud, praying that voice didn't belong to the woman they thought it did. He looked as bewildered as they did as Tifa came marching into the library. She took one look around and declared their punishments.

"Denzel, Marlene, you'll both do dishes for a week." Her voice was not one to argue with.

Of course, the two younger ones had no other hope. "But Tifa-"

"Listen to her you two." Cloud put in. "Merlin would be upset to know you're shouting in his library."

"Cloud, you'll be setting the table, cleaning the house, and making sure not a book here is out of place."

…

…

…

"But Tifa…"

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There was no point to this, but for maybe a little CloudxAerith. I kinda like it, so I hope someone gets a laugh out of this. Whether that laugh is because this is funny, or because its stupid, I don't want to know. Really. Don't crush my dreams.


	2. Suasion

Dislciamer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts 1, COM, or 2.

Title: Suasion  
Words: 774Summary: Sometimes, all you need is a chance. Even when that chance is nothing more than a group of flowers. Cloud/Aerith w/ Implied Squiffie  
A/N: This happened to be the word of the day on so I decided to use it! Yes, its lame, but I don't care.

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Cloud was back! Her heart had leapt to have him with her again. Never had she hugged anyone quite as tightly as she did him on that day. His choice of living quarters was to split the bill with Aerith and share the Red Room, or bunk with Cid.

Really, was the choice that hard?

At first, he'd wanted to get somewhere totally away from his friends, but Yuffie (darn her!) had revealed that Aerith was really having trouble affording her room. There was a reason Yuffie and Leon shared a room. Do you think he would just share a room with her of his own will? Not to mention she'd been seven at the time and needed her favorite baby-sitter to watch over her.

But, anyways, the idea of helping Aerith had been enough to persuade him to stay with her. Nevertheless, since then, his cold persona had changed her room. His time at the Coliseum had changed him for the worse. The red seemed less vibrant; everything was different…and she saw only one solution.

She had to persuade the old Cloud to come back.

But how? That question bugged her more and more every day. Then she looked into his sea blue eyes, and she knew she wanted him back enough. She would regain what he had lost, what time had taken from the both of them.

So, she bought a vase. It was pink, a contrast to the rest of the room, with little white hearts. Inside the vase was a bouquet of flowers, each color vibrant and beautiful. Then, she bought a red vase with a morning glory growing inside. It was small, helpless. However, she loved them, so she'd eagerly bought it. The bouquet and vase she placed on Cloud's nightstand, and the morning glory she placed gingerly on her own. Yes, perfect. Now to wait for Cloud.

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Using the silver key in his pocket, Cloud Strife let himself into the room he shared with Aerith. His Buster Sword was set again in the corner where it would not be in the way of walking. He took a swig of the water he'd bought on the way back and wandered to his side of the bed. He acknowledged Aerith's greeting with a nod and sat next to her. It was around this time a sweet, familiar smell wafted under his nose.

Looking at the nightstand, he saw the vibrant colors of flowers. Each was strong, despite their gentle appearance. But they could only take so much. Neglect killed them quickly, as did lack of sun or too much water. Odd, how something like that made you think.

Aerith was like a flower, he thought. She was one of the fiercest females he'd seen fight, but she was not invincible. She had her breaking point, and she needed happiness to flourish. A thought tugged at his heart and stuck stubbornly. _Was he blocking her sunlight? Was he still burdening her?_

He looked over at Aerith, who had been watching his reaction apparently. He didn't just glance at her though; he really looked. Hope sparkled in her emerald pools. How had he missed it? How had he been so blind?

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Aerith held back a gasp when on of his hands cupped her cheek. His skin was surprisingly warm, and she reveled in the contact. He leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers'. Yes, she loved this Cloud; the old Cloud. She let one of her hands slip through his blonde spikes, deepening the kiss. His tongue sought entrance, and she gladly obliged. They stayed like that for a heartbeat or a million… she'd lost count long ago. Nevertheless, eventually they pulled apart to let air fill their lungs. She reached over and unclasped his cape, letting it fall. He winced as the wing on his back unfurled, but she let her nimble fingers slide over it. He relaxed and smiled at her.

Once more her heart leapt at the rare expression of happiness. It was so genuine and sincere, more so than any other smile she'd ever seen. "I missed you Cloud."

He wrapped his arms around her, knowing she didn't mind the claw. She cuddled her head into his chest and listened as his heart beat out a stead rhythm. "I won't ever leave again." He promised. Their eyes met, followed by their lips.

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"Yuffie, you shouldn't spy on them."

"Stop ruining my fun Squallie."

"It's Leon."

"Squall."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Squall?"

"Leon. What?"

"Why doesn't a guy ever look at me like that?" A sigh. Silence.

Thankfully, Leon was for more immune to suasion that Cloud.

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Pointless, I know, but who cares? R&R.


	3. Where is the Love?

Dislciamer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts 1, COM, or 2.

Title: Where is the Love?  
Words: 605Summary: Inspired by the Black Eyed Peas Song, "Where is the Love." Squall had always given Yuffie the real truth, not matter how tough. Now, however, he is faced with questions he can't answer.A/N: 5 years since 9/11. This fic has no relation to that occasion, but I still want to dedicate this to those who have relatives serving in the military either here at home or in the Middle East. It is also to anyone who lost someone dear to them 5 years on this day. But, especially, this is dedicated to the army brats like myself. God bless you all.

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Was 30 days too long to still mourn, or was it just beginning? Was a month too soon to stop searching, or was the effort long past hopeless? Squall wasn't even sure anymore. Rinoa was gone, along with almost everyone else who'd mattered in his life. What was he to do?

Keep living, fighting, and searching. Distance himself from the others, so he wouldn't have his heart scarred again. There was only one obstacle to achieving this goal: a seven-year-old girl named Yuffie Kisaragi. She clung to him like Velcro and always had something to annoy him.

"Squallie!" She ran into the Green Room and jumped onto the foot of the bed, sitting in front of him cross-legged. He looked into her, knowing this would not be good for his mental health. When she sat like that, it meant he would be here awhile. "Did Ansem have a Mommy like I did?"

…

…

Certainly not what he expected, but he nodded. "Everyone has a mother and father." He said, knowing he couldn't be too harsh on her, or Aerith would beat the living daylights out of him, along with Cid. Despite his claims of hate towards her, he'd seen how the pilot would watch after her sometimes, guarding her from Heartless and thieves alike. Anyone who looked at the girl the wrong way would meet the business end of his spear. Not to mention Squall personally despised seeing her cry.

Yuffie didn't even take the time to process this answer before asking, "Did his parents abandon him?" Squall remembered faintly his own parents leaving him, but disregarded the memory.

"I don't know." He answered truthfully.

"Why don't the kings in fairytales ever turn out bad, and Ansem did?"

"I don't know."

"Did he like seeing Mommy and Daddy die?" She was screaming now, tears cascading down her cheeks. "And Vincent and Shera and Rinoa and Zell and Tifa and Cloud and," she sniffled, stopping her cries. Her lithe frame began to heave with her sobs of pain and confusion, and all Squall could do was watch helplessly. He was always helpless…

"We don't know that Cloud and Tifa are dead Yuff, they might have escaped." She didn't seem to hear his logic, however, as she dove into his lap, burying her head in his chest and grabbing her leather jacket so tightly her knuckles turned white. She was grieving.

Squall, in a more distant way, was grieving when he held Yuffie. He did not protest to the dampening of his shirt or the pain when her nails dug his skin. They stayed that way for almost ten minutes, letting out their sorrow. Yuffie mourned every single person she lost, while Squall could mourn only one woman. Rinoa…

"…Squall?" She looked up at him with moist gray eyes. He met them, showing he was listening. "Why is all the love gone?" Too perceptive for her age, darn ninja.

"…I don't know."

Yuffie suddenly seemed determined. She pushed away from him and stood up proudly, hands on her hips. "Then let's make a pact Squallie! We both have to promise to make sure that, one day, we add a little love to the world. Promise?" She looked at him hopefully and he could only sigh.

"If I do, will you go to sleep? It's almost midnight." The raven-haired girl contemplated this, and then nodded. "Fine then, I agree. Go to sleep."

"M'kay, nights!"

Neither knew where this would someday lead them, but it was something they silently held to over the years. This vow, a constant they both remembered, stayed in their hearts and minds, waiting for fulfillment.

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Okay, this tunred out to be a Squall/Yuffie friendship, but the next will be a bonafide Squiffie, promise! I'd like to thank my reviewers and request you continue to R&R!


	4. We Will Never Know

Dislciamer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts 1, COM, or 2. I also don't own Lion King 2.

Title: We Shall Never KnowWords: 726  
Summary: Yuffie reminds Squall of their promise, and he claims he has fullfilled it. But can he convince the ninja of this? Squiffie for real this time!  
A/N: Yay, so many reviews! I love your support so much, all of you! I perosnally like this chapter a lot, but I'm afraid Leon got a bit OOC at the end. However, keep in mind this is a couple years after KHII, so I decided he had softened a bit during this time, which excuses some OOCness, dontcha think?

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"Okay brat, Leon's cleanin' out Nobodies at the damn Postern, but he'll be back soon, so hold tight and stay out of my fuckin way!" The pilot's harsh words would have made a lesser person shrink back, but Yuffie had known them so much, she was known to speak this language herself in extreme circumstances.

Today, however, she was using that as a final resort, an option that was becoming unbelievably tempting. "C'mon Cid, quit calling me a brat! I'm 19 already!" He laughed at this and she acted hurt. Te two exchanged am exchange that showed the best use of the most colorful words known to the English lanaguage, that is until Aerith showed up with Squall and Cloud in tow. The swearing match stopped on a dime and both parties returned to their original duties.

"Heya Aerith!" Yuffie exclaimed happily, "Squall and Cloud behave themselves?"

Aerith giggled and nodded. "For the time, yes. Now it's almost 11 o'clock, so let's call it a night." Cloud nodded his agreement and approached her from behind, taking her pink-clad form into his arms. She easily relaxed into his chest as he picked her up bridal style. Yuffie would have scoffed at this, but instead felt the slightest pang of envy towards Aerith to have someone care like that. She quickly hid this with a bright smile and a leap towards the stairs. "C'mon Squall!"

He snorted and leaned his gunblade against the wall by Cloud's Buster Sword, muttering, "It's Leon." Reluctantly he followed Yuffie up the stairs to the room they shared. She was in the bathroom, so he took the time to strip down to his boxers. The room was so quiet. Why did that bother him? Stupid ninja. She got him too used to noise.

In his mind, regrettably, Squall Leonhart knew that wasn't exactly true. Yuffie was that flower in that movie she worshipped as a child, Lion King II. The small flower fought to grow in a place with the most adverse conditions, struggle to beautify a place where such things died long ago.

He had already settled into bed when Yuffie came out in shirt she wore often to bed that reached down to mid-thigh. He watched her come across the room and plop onto the bed carelessly. "You're not keeping your promise very well." He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "The one we made to promise to bring more love to the world? You aren't keeping it."

Squall batted this around in his mind. "Neither are you." He concluded, settling back down.

"Am too. I've found someone to love. He just…he doesn't want it." Squall looked up sharply. In recent years, he had begun to talk to Yuffie like an adult, not a child. Hearing this disturbed him immensely. Who was this man?

"Yuf, whoever doesn't want your love is a complete dumbass and not worthy of you." The brunette pretended not to be as angry as he really was. Since when did he become an expert on affairs of romance? It wasn't really his business.

Yuffie shifted, grinning sheepishly. "Well, I haven't exactly told him yet." Yuffie not speaking her mind? This was new. "But I'm going to right now." She sucked in a breath, and then let it out, standing up. "Squall Leonhart…I love you."

…

…

…

"I knew it! You don't care at all! Ugh, I'm such a-" I regret to inform you, my readers, you will never know what Yuffie was. For, at this moment, a gloved hand covered her mouth softly, and a voice tickled her ear.

"Well, I suppose this means I have to keep my promise?" Yuffie's platinum eyes widened as she spun to face him, nodding.

"You've got that right buster! You had better-" Again, dear readers, you will never know what Leon should have done, because he cut our beloved ninja off with a kiss, sealing her lips with his. She almost shied away from her first kiss, but he was gentle. He embraced her slowly and softly, as if afraid she would shatter at his touch. She responded by deepening the kiss they shared and pulling herself closer to him.

Finally, they pulled away.

"And just so you know Yuffie," He pushed her back onto the bed and went to his own side, face unreadable as always.

"It's Leon."

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Okay, good news/bad news time.

Good news: I'm going to Florida for a week! WOOT WOOT! Seeing family and Disney World for an entire week!

Bad News: I will not have internet access from Friday, September 29th until Saturday, October 7th. That means no updates. Sorry!

Either way, I hope you're all doing great. And I have a request. See, my friends and I have been bored lately, so we're getting really into ghost stories and telling them to each other during art. If you have a good ghost story, could you please e-mail it to me? Either way, I love my reviews! Thanks!


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